Work on Dixon Gateway Project to resume soon

DIXON – Community members have been puzzled by the work stoppage at the 27-acre Gateway Project footprint, but construction should start up again soon after development plans needed to be redrawn.

The Gateway Project, along South Galena Avenue across from Walmart between Keul and Bloody Gulch roads, broke ground in April with the plan to construct a dozen buildings and bring at least one hotel, gas station, restaurant and shops to the Interstate 88 corridor.

Site work to level the ground started shortly after, and officials estimated construction to begin on a hotel in July followed by other buildings.

However, work stopped at the site, and tall grasses began to grow.

Developers working with interested businesses had to alter the project plats and stopped so they wouldn’t have to do the groundwork twice, Mayor Li Arellano Jr. said.

“It’s been years and years to get here, and there’s a little bit more planning to do,” he said.

The Dixon City Council approved final amended plat lines Tuesday, the grasses are being taken care of, and work could resume in the next week or so, City Manager Danny Langloss said.

[ Gateway groundwork gets going in Dixon ]

It’s being developed by Xsite Real Estate of Burr Ridge and Walsh Partners of Elmhurst. Xsite is the developer of Presidential Parkway Plaza, the four-building project north of Walmart along the south side of Keul Road. The city, the Lee County Industrial Development Association and Sauk Valley Bank are also partners in the project.

The city will be committing about $4 million in infrastructure work for the project, and $3 million of that will be paid for by grants.

The project is more than 3 years in the making after working with developers, landowners, and state and local government officials.